Latridius minutus

(Linnaeus, 1767)

squarenosed fungus beetle, square-nosed fungus beetle

Latridius minutus is a minute brown scavenger beetle in the Latridiidae, commonly known as the square-nosed . The is characterized by its small size and association with fungal substrates. activity peaks during summer months and declines in winter.

Latridius.minutus.-.calwer.46.08 by Emil Hochdanz
. Used under a Public domain license.Latridius-minutus-04-fws by Francisco Welter-Schultes. Used under a CC0 license.Musée entomologique illustré (6008163363) by Bisson-Cottard (Firm); Depuiset, A.; Fischbach, Gustave; Poteau, J.; Quartley, J.; Rothschild, J.; Specht, Friedrich; Vizetelly, Henry. Used under a Public domain license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Latridius minutus: /læˈtrɪdiəs maɪˈnjuːtəs/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Distinguished from other Latridiidae by the squared shape of the body region (/pronotum), which gives rise to its . As a minute brown scavenger beetle, it is small in size and requires close examination for definitive identification. Separation from likely requires examination of genitalic structures or other subtle morphological characters.

Images

Habitat

Associated with fungal substrates, as indicated by the and characteristics. Specific microhabitat preferences are not well documented in the provided sources.

Distribution

Records indicate presence in Austria; distribution records from Flores (likely the Azores or Indonesia) and Belgium require verification. The has been reported in citizen science observations, suggesting a broader distribution than formally documented. GBIF records indicate presence in Austria and possible presence in Flores, with absence recorded from Belgium.

Seasonality

peaks during summer months and declines during winter, based on observational data.

Ecological Role

As a member of Latridiidae, likely contributes to decomposition processes through feeding on fungal material, though specific ecological functions are not documented for this .

Human Relevance

No significant documented impacts. The has been recorded through citizen science platforms, contributing to distributional knowledge.

Similar Taxa

  • Other Latridius speciesSimilar minute size, brown coloration, and fungal associations require careful examination of and pronotum shape for separation
  • Other Latridiidae generaMinute brown scavenger beetles share general habitus; -level identification requires detailed morphological examination

More Details

Citizen science records

The has been documented through iNaturalist with 20 observations, contributing to understanding of its distribution and .

Taxonomic history

Originally described by Linnaeus in 1767, indicating long recognition as a distinct .

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Sources and further reading